Skyrim Switch 2 Review

Skyrim Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

About a month ago, my son and I were talking about games, and he asked me what game I would love to review if I could choose any. I told him Skyrim, hands down, but explained it was not really relevant right now and probably would not benefit my outlet. I went on to say just how much I loved it and how it is my favourite game of all time, and how I would justify giving the game an almost perfect score. Period. So imagine my surprise waking up last week to the announcement that Skyrim for Switch 2 was finally here, bringing massive visual upgrades but also a fair share of new problems. What is it like? Equip your helmet, sharpen your blade, and maybe consider hiring some quality assurance team members as we dive into Skyrim on Nintendo Switch 2.

Now, a quick note before we begin. It’s safe to say the rather rushed launch of Skyrim on Switch 2 has been a little rough. Thankfully, there has been a patch to fix some issues I mentioned in my graphics breakdown video, and this review will cover the game in its current state. That said, with no fixed release date and no clear consumer pressure to rush this version out the door, it is difficult to understand why Skyrim was released in the state that it was. What should have been a straightforward win for fans instead damaged the goodwill the franchise has built over the past 14 years. Rather than showcasing what the Switch 2 is capable of, this release did the opposite, and the result feels less like a technical limitation and more like a failure of quality control. While the absence of a 60 fps mode will be disappointing to some, it is not the defining issue here. A stable 30 fps, in my opinion, is perfectly acceptable for this type of game. The real problem was the half-second of input latency present in the Switch 2 version, an issue so immediately noticeable that it raises serious questions about the level of hands-on testing prior to release.

Skyrim Switch 2 Edition delivers what is effectively the complete Skyrim package. The base game is included alongside all three major expansions: Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn. That alone makes this one of the most content-rich versions of the game available on a Nintendo platform, offering hundreds of hours of quests, exploration, and character building.

While the main story focuses on your journey to becoming the Dragonborn, there’s also the civil war questline that pits the Imperials against the Stormcloaks. Beyond that, hundreds of other quests are waiting for you to tackle at your own pace. The world is packed with caverns, castles, and hideouts to explore and plunder and, of course, dragons to slay.

Hearthfire lets you build your own home in the wilds of Skyrim. Dawnguard turns you into a vampire hunter, tracking the undead across the land. And Dragonborn takes you to the island of Solstheim to face the original Dragonborn, Miraak, who uses his powers to subjugate and rule through fear. Beyond the main game and DLC, the Anniversary Edition adds a wealth of Creation Club items and quests, giving even more options for customisation and adventure.

Beyond the content, the Switch 2 version is built to take advantage of the new hardware. Resolution has been enhanced, resulting in a noticeably sharper image, and load times are faster than on the original Switch. World transitions, fast travel, and menu navigation all benefit from these improvements, even if they are not always as consistent as you might hope. There’s also mouse mode and gesture controls for those who like a little bit of motion in their video games.

What makes Skyrim special is how easily it lets you step away from that destiny. At one point during my own recovery, I spent hundreds of hours in-game doing very little that could be considered heroic. I became a blacksmith. I mined ore, improved my craft, sold my wares, and found comfort in the quiet life of a blacksmith merchant in the game. The wider world is filled with stories that emerge naturally. Factions like the Dark Brotherhood and the Companions offer deep questlines, while smaller side quests often leave a lasting impression through clever writing or unexpected emotional weight. Skyrim does not rush you; it simply presents you with a world that you can try to leave an impact on or make your own way.

I have written at length over the years about just how much I love Skyrim, and revisiting it now only reinforces why it has stayed with me for so long. It is not just the dragons or the prophecies, but the freedom the game gives you to define your own journey within its world. You begin as a prisoner, moments from execution, before dragons quite literally rewrite your fate. From there, Skyrim opens up into a vast fantasy playground shaped by ancient legends, political conflict, and player choice.

Skyrim’s greatest strength has always been the freedom it gives players, and that is just as true on Switch 2. Want to wield a giant two-handed axe and become an unstoppable juggernaut? You can. Prefer to be a stealthy archer, slipping silently through the shadows? That works too. Or perhaps you want to be a powerful mage, weaving intricate spells of destruction and alteration. Even better, you can combine all of these styles into one character and create a truly unique experience.

Whether you’re carefully planning your character’s progression or just wandering off the beaten path, Skyrim on Switch 2 keeps the freedom and variety that made the game legendary. Every playthrough can feel completely different, and that sense of discovery is still what makes it so addictive.

The Switch 2 version of Skyrim updates the graphics engine to more closely resemble the PS4 and Xbox versions, and the results are immediately noticeable. Foliage and world assets are richer and more detailed, lighting and particle effects create a more immersive atmosphere, and the sharper resolution gives you plenty for your eyes to feast upon. Skyrim’s world has never looked this good on a Nintendo platform. For a full graphics breakdown, check out my Skyrim Switch 2 Edition Performance video here.

But, and this is a big but, the game is still an absolute mess in places. Performance has improved in some areas: after the latest update, outdoor environments run at a locked 30 FPS, interiors hover around 45 FPS, and menus reach a smooth 60 FPS. If you want framerates, Skyrim on Switch 2 has a selection of them, but it never seems to sit on one. Input lag has been reduced enough to make the game playable, but it’s still noticeable in areas like Goldenhill Estate and a few other spots. As I mentioned in my introduction, the 30 FPS isn’t a dealbreaker, and a controversial opinion, but I’d take a smooth, locked 30 FPS over one that fluctuates constantly.

Where the Switch 2 version stumbles is in the details. Missing meshes can leave you peering through the world, and some areas fail to render properly at all. Despite these janky issues, the game remains enjoyable. Most of my time on Switch 2 was spent on one hand marvelling at the visual upgrades, while on the other, I kept wondering how this technically “upgraded” version could still feel worse than the original Switch edition in some ways.

For my Dovakhin looking into accessibility, there are the new control modes, including mouse mode, subtitles, difficulty modifiers, and HUD scaling to make your adventures in Skyrim more comfortable. As always, I recommend further research into finding out if Skyrim suits your needs. For owners of the Anniversary Edition, the upgrade is free; for those without, both physical and digital editions can be upgraded to the Anniversary Edition, then upgraded to the Switch 2 Edition for a cost.

Let’s be real. Skyrim is still a fantastic game on Switch 2, and there’s no denying that. With the input lag issues largely addressed, players can finally enjoy a visually impressive upgrade to an all-time great. When everything clicks, Skyrim on Switch 2 looks and feels incredible.

The problem is that it still needs work, and it should not have launched in this state. It is genuinely concerning that such obvious technical issues made it through to release, and even after updates, new problems have surfaced that were never present in the original Switch version. That is a hard pill to swallow for a re-release of a game so iconic.

As I said in my opening, this should have been a slam dunk. This is the game I have always wanted to review, the one I have written about time and time again as my favourite game of all time. And yet, Skyrim Switch 2 Edition is not even the best version of Skyrim available on Nintendo hardware right now.

Regardless of how long this version spent in development, it feels like a hasty port designed to hit a holiday release window rather than deliver a polished experience. Skyrim deserves better, and so do the fans who continue to show up for it more than a decade later.

So, What’s it Like? Skyrim on Switch 2 is a better-looking version of the Switch 1 Edition… with some added problems.

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